February Challenge: How'd I do?

February's challenge was to start on the road of health and fitness! February was a short, fast month and while I could have done more, I am so happy with what I have done. I find that for everyone who begins to veer towards a healthy lifestyle, they kind of drag their feet at first. There may be some internal whining. A whole lot of being too tired to go to the gym... rewarding themselves with something high fat (like a milkshake?) after a long day.

Or maybe that is just me.

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Slowly, I start to make changes. It helps me to ease one healthy thing at a time instead of just suddenly changing my entire life. My anxiety doesn't allow for that. Here are a few things I did to start being healthier.

-Moved sodas to weekends only and being more selective about getting a soda when we eat out for dinner.

-Drinking more water. A LOT more water. I forget all the time, so my co-workers yell at me to drink water. I love them.

-Replacing "normal" meals with a veggie-loaded salad with healthy dressing. I had moments where I literally hates salads, but I start eating them and I'm like this is soooooo yummy!!! I'm weird.

-Eating salads with every meal and eating the salad first.

-Switching my coffees to non-fat; working on having less coffees. I've switched back to the 200 calorie Starbucks Vanilla Frappuccinos, which I keep in my fridge.

-Remembering to move around at work. I make sure I take time to go for short walks around campus to move my body.

-Being more active at home. This means either cleaning when I get home, going for a walk, roughhousing with Shepherd, cooking. Basically, having less sit and relax couch time.

-Getting to the gym or outdoors more. I've gone to the gym more, have played basketball in our cul-de-sac with my family and just by myself. Catching my own rebounds is hard work, ya'll!

-Smaller plates, smaller meals. Often times at home, I'll just use a salad plate to put my food on. It's smaller so the portions seem huge but they're really not. Also, when we go out. I'll separate what I want to eat and what I want to save for the next days lunch - and I ONLY order things I can break up into two meals. My portions get smaller and smaller as my stomach shrinks.

You all know that I am not into crash diets and weight loss, just like weight gain, is a journey. I want to take care of my body, treat it right so that I live right. Bryan and I were talking about all the hikes and trails we want to do during our upcoming vacation in Hawaii and I couldn't help but think what if I can't do them? The negative self talk came in. "I'm big and out of shape. Maybe I shouldn't try to do those kinds of hikes."

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It made me so sad to think that the extra weight I am carrying is really limiting me and the things I want to do in life. No way. I don't care what stage I'm at in Hawaii, I'm doing those hikes. My extra fat is not going to define my activities. I do what I want.

In all, I'm happy with my progress and even more happy with my mindset. Cheekbones, I'm coming for ya!